The Health Benefits of Detoxifying Your Body

If you’ve ever heard the term detoxification, you have most likely wondered about the health benefits of detoxifying your body. You must know that body detoxification, or detox, is a somewhat controversial subject. While some conventional medical professionals agree that toxins in the body can have a negative effect on your overall health, others view it as a waste of time and money. In alternative medicine, however, detoxifying your body results in numerous health benefits and is normally the first step toward achieving vibrant health.

Improved Liver Function

Detox critics don’t see any benefits to detoxifying your body, as the liver and kidneys are suppose to do that for you, which is true. However, your organs can only handle so much before they become overloaded.

When you think of all the toxins you ingest daily from preservatives, food coloring, artificial flavors and pesticides in the foods you eat, it’s no wonder that your organs can become burdened down and impaired. Add prescription medications to all the toxins from the foods you eat, and you have a struggling liver, not functioning at its optimum potential. Common sense tells you that if the same pattern continues, serious health problems can develop.

Besides toxins from food and medications, your liver also filters out toxins from air pollutants, cigarette smoke, nonprescription drugs, environmental chemicals, alcohol and any other pollutants that assault your body on a daily basis, according to the Liver Society‘s website.

Furthermore, since the liver contributes to the proper function of the immune system, stores vitamins, minerals and sugars for energy and monitors/maintains the proper levels of chemicals in the blood; it’s needless to say that an impaired liver could result in ill health.

Improved Nutrient Absorption

Besides eliminating feces, the colon walls also absorbs nutrients through its walls. When waste is not eliminated properly on a regular basis, it forms a hardened layer along the colon walls. The layer of waste creates the perfect environment for bacteria, results in toxins and prevents/reduces the absorption of minerals. The money you spend on a multivitamin could literally go down the drain because the nutrients are not properly absorbed.

Toxins from the colon can enter your blood stream and cause an array of health disorders. Once your colon walls become hardened with waste, simply adding fiber to your diet will generally not dissolve the hardened matter. This is why holistic practitioners recommend detoxifiying your body. A toxic colon can lead to toxic blood, colon cancer, diverticulitis (blister-like pouches along the colon), mineral deficiencies and numerous other disorders. A colon detox can reduce the risk of such conditions.

Other Benefits of Detoxifying Your Body

After following a detoxification regimen, you can generally expect the following:

More energy

Improved concentration/memory

Less cold/flu episodes

Improved immune function

Improved skin and hair texture

While the body is loaded down with toxins, it has to fight to protect itself. Once the toxins are removed or the load is lessened, it can focus on healing itself.

Word of Caution

Even proponents of detoxifying your body agree that not all cleansing products or detoxifying methods are safe. Additionally, even herbs and formulas generally viewed as safe could have a negative effect when combined with prescription medications or if you have certain health conditions.

In conclusion, according to proponents of alternative medicine and treatments, detoxifying your body results in numerous health benefits. Your body can absorb nutrients better and improves the effectiveness of other health therapies. Nonetheless, as with any medical issue, detoxifying your body is a matter of personal choice. It is important to seek qualified professional help if you decide that detoxifying your body is for you.